Grazia Grabs Listed Glory - Win 2 Saturday

Given a beautiful run in transit, Grazia (5 m Savabeel - Trocair, by Flying Spur) dashed clear for an impressive victory in the $50,000 Christchurch Casino Spring Classic (Listed, 2000m) on Saturday 28 October at Riccarton.

Trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, along with syndicate manager David Ellis, can take a bow, after earmarking the race at the end of her previous campaign: having won three of her last five starts up to 2100 metres.

Beaten a nose on the same course earlier in October, after resuming there with a close fifth to stable-mate Imperium (Encosta De Lago) in September, both times over a mile, the step up in distance and carrying minimum weight (53kgs) were key components in the success.

“We thought she would have won a race by now, down here, but she's been held up by wet tracks and other bits and pieces,” Richards said.

“We sent her down for this stakes' race and it's worked out really well. I thought Sam Weatherley made the right decision about the mile to slide forward on her, it was very important. He got her into a lovely rhythm and she quickened up super.

“We'll have a chat to the owners and Dave (Ellis) to see where she heads next, but again Dan, Tegan (Newman), and Meg (Lambert) have done a great job with the horses we have down here. Hopefully she can continue to improve into cup week, which it looks like she can.”

Given a beautiful ride by Sam Weatherley, who recorded his first win for Te Akau earlier on card aboard Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Grazia travelled sweetly in fourth, ranged ominously outside the leaders inside the 600m and she gave her rivals a galloping lesson to win by 3.5 lengths.

On Good3 footing, Grazia ran the 2000 metres in 2:02.5 and her best return on the NZ TAB was $4.60 & $1.70 fixed odds.

For owners in the Te Akau Grazia Syndicate, the object of the exercise in going south was achieved quite emphatically.

“There are some really good owners in the filly, including Karyn (Fenton-Ellis), and I'm thrilled for them, because they've had to be patient,” said David Ellis, who purchased Grazia as a yearling for $100,000, from the draft of Little Avondale Stud, at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale.

“She was bred by Christopher Grace at Hunterville, from a breed that needs time. At the end of her last campaign I thought she was a mare that could win black type and now she's done it. It's fantastic.

“When she went down to Riccarton, we had our four kilo apprentice Tegan Newman ride her. We didn't want her to have a hard run and she came through that first up run really well. She was only beaten a nose last start and showed us today what she is really capable of.

“It was very astute planning by Steve and Jamie. It's always a thrill when you set a filly for a particular race, at the start of the season, and they win their black type.

“She is becoming very valuable, being a full-sister to Tullamore, who won a Brisbane Cup, and Shillelagh, a Group Three winner we had in our stable who transferred to Australia. And I also bought the talented filly Dublin Rose, out of Irish Dream, a full-sister to Tullamore and Shillelagh.

“It was a lovely ride by Sam Weatherley. The team in the South Island has done a great job with her, she's thrived, and I think the makings of her in this campaign was to give her a quiet run under a light weight first up.

“It's not the first time we've won the race: Viana won in 2013 and the following year Wolfwhistle was the winner, so targeting it is working well.”

Grazia has now won four races up to 2100m, in only five starts past 2000 metres.

She was strapped by Tegan Newman.